If a Strad is worth $8 million, why can't Bursts eventually bring $1 million?

[patentcad]

From the NY Times today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/us/a-violinists-triumph-is-ruined-by-thieves.html?hp

Which got me to thinking; if this collectible violin is worth like 8 million bucks, I see no particular reason why, over time, desirable LP Bursts can't be worth over a million dollars. They're highly collectible, the killer Burst pieces are VERY rare.

Never say never when it comes to collectibles like guitars and automobiles. They'll surprise you @ auction every time. Big money chases rare, desirable collector pieces. Buy the right collectible guitars and I don't think in the long run you'll get hurt financially.

Discuss.

 

[patentcad]

Also, look for the violin in that article soon on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $7,999,999.00, with FREE shipping!

 

[Ron Kirn]

it will.. I guarantee ya... take your trusty "burst"... stash it some place and wait long enough and it will be worth a bloody fortune at some point in the future......

While the guitar won't have any trouble making it that far into the future,,, you're gonna find it a bit more difficult... but if you can get there, with the guitar ... the book contract will be worth a lot more than the old guitar..

Ron Kirn

 

[cratz2]

Of course they will.

 

[AParrotLooksAt4O]

great violin is 10x the instrument a Les Paul is. And the players who desire a Strad are 10x as skilled and sensitive to tonal shadings as most rock musicians.

Do you guys get Netflix? Please watch a flick called PIANOMANIA. You think you know tone? The sensitivity to tone and minutiae of these classical pianists will blow your mind.

Kind of showed me what hacks we all are compared to true virtuosos.

Shoot, most of us don't even play in tune or bend notes to pitch or have a decent finger vibrato compared to these guys.

RED = Rampant subjectivity at best
Bold black = Speak for yourself. Take lessons if you can't play in tune or bend notes to pitch.

 

[hendrik7]

The Stradi violins that go for that much were built in the 17th and 18th century by Antonio Stradivari. Stradivari is not a multi million dollar company still dishing out violins and remakes today.

Sure, old genuine guitars might be worth +1 million dollars in about 200 years. But then the remaining Stradis will be well over 100 millions as well

 

[patentcad]

A '59 Burst may reach 1 million some day but they're not worth it.

Money talks.

That's the only criteria that will determine what's worth what.

 

[Mandrax]

Well, that strad is around 300 years old. The LP has a couple of hundred years and a bit more to go yet, I guess we'll see, well not us, but someone might

 

[paulvcarter]

In 300 years time they will be.......

There are only a few $8m violins - about 10 if I recall correctly.

 

[treeofpain]

Demand determines value. If there is sufficient demand, we can certainly see a $1M burst sale. In fact, there are some well-known bursts which, if marketed in the proper manner, would possibly sell for this much. And I am not talking about celebrity-owned instruments (Billy Gibbons' Pearly Gates, Jimmie Page's #1), but pinnacle examples of a 59 burst with flawless pedigree which have been featured in burst books, etc.

 

[Oldschool59]

They will, eventually. Give them another couple of centuries at most. As with all things speculative, their value will be completely unrelated to utility. And if we happen to lose the secret recipe to a great Burst (as is the case with Strads), the value will only appreciate further.

And I do agree with Lewguitar: we simply cannot compare our obsession with tone to that of Brendel, Ma, Vengerof, etc... Un-amplified classical instruments, and their use in terms of projection, voice and nuance, are worlds apart with our trusted electric guitars.

 

[kingsleyd]

My brother lives in Milwaukee and is friends with Frank Almond. We saw Frank perform (with that violin, some pieces solo, some with piano accompaniment) at a private party for my brother's 50th birthday in December, 2012.

Needless to say, the incident is very upsetting on a personal level. Thankfully, despite being tased, Frank is OK.

 

[smolder]

according to the rumors, it already has.

http://www.amazon.com/Million-Dolla...d=1391182394&sr=1-2&keywords=les+paul+million

 

[kingsleyd]

according to the rumors, it already has.

http://www.amazon.com/Million-Dolla...d=1391182394&sr=1-2&keywords=les+paul+million

That book is entirely devoted to the question in the OP. There's no evidence in it that a LP has actually changed hands for that sum.

I recommend the book, actually. It's a worthwhile read for anyone seriously interested in this topic.

 

[gmann]

according to the rumors, it already has.

http://www.amazon.com/Million-Dolla...d=1391182394&sr=1-2&keywords=les+paul+million

There are Bursts that have sold for over a million already.

 

[SPROING!]

Doubtful the electronics or plastic will survive that long.

 

[Tom CT]

And the players who desire a Strad are 10x as skilled and sensitive to tonal shadings as most rock musicians.

Unless they're not.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivec...uble-blind-violin-test-can-you-pick-the-strad

 

[Surfreak]

It is common knowledge, at least among mildly OCD guitar geeks like me, that there were 643 1959 LP Standards shipped, 434 in 1958 and 635 in 1960, for a total of 1,712 bursts.

We can estimate that approximately 50% of these are accounted for today (this might be an underestimate), so in terms of supply and demand, if it is true that the $$$ pool for Strad violins, violas and cellos is around US$ 100m, then the same $$$ pool applied to all surviving Bursts gives us an avg. individual Burst value of $ 117,000, which is very close to the price of an "entry level" Burst (i.e. plain to very little flame, maybe some non original parts, possibly a repair or a partial refinish).

Will a Burst ever be sold for 1 million? In my opinion, no. To get that kind of money it must be associated to a celebrity, and played a significant role in his career.
Page's #1 is certainly $ 1m and up material, but Joe Bonamassa's n-th Burst bought last year is not.

 

[JMC]

So what are the highest known prices for a Strat and a Les Paul. I know some iconic pieces have sold at auction... Paul Allen has the Woodstock Jimi Strat, several Les Paul pieces out there...

 

[pjrhd28]

I think Vintage Martins may have a better chance.

They're older, more acoustic (like a violin), and I think just as rare.